Camp Hill

Camp Hill is an eastern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Camp Hill is an eastern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Camp Hill had a population of 11,202 people.

Camp Hill is thought to have been named by teamsters who camped at a waterhole near Whites Hill in the suburb's south, while travelling between Brisbane and Cleveland.Originally, settlers in the area were farmers, with a strong German influence in the community in the early period. In the 1860s, McCann's Greenbank Dairy was in operation, and Peter Faust was also farming in that era.In 1873, the White family purchased 53 acres (210,000 m2) on high land that became known as White's Hill, which is still the name of a locality within the suburb of Camp Hill. Robert White, who was a joiner, originally built a slab hut on the northern centre of the hill and was farming (dairy cows, pigs). By the 1920s, he'd built a road to the summit of the hill and built a large home on the summit. A two-storey tower at the northern end was included and was used as an observatory. This is now a public reserve.It was in the 1880s that a real land and housing boom began, however. In 1882, Isaac Bennett established a rose farm on the corner of Bennett's and Old Cleveland Roads (this land was eventually subdivided). In 1886, John and Thirza Zahel acquired land between Dorothy Lane and Pampling Street and established a vineyard and orchard, and in 1890, the Fiveash family established a dairy as well as a fruit and vegetable farm on land at the corner of Clara St and Stanley Road.In 1883 a bus service to Stones Corner was established.The "Ravensburn Estate", comprising blocks of land now bordered by Old Cleveland Road, Raven Street, Koondara Street and Renton Street, was advertised to be auctioned by R.J. Cottell on 13 August 1887. A map advertising the auction notes that the land was close to Coorparoo School and Stanley Bridge.In May 1887, in the area now bounded by Old Cleveland Road, Fergusons Road and Stanley Road, 332 allotments, called the "East Coorparoo Estate" were advertised for private sale by A. McNish Fraser. A map advertising the allotments for sale shows the allotments in Clara Street and Margaret Street, as well as streets that were called George, William and Edward Streets.Between 1912 and 1926 the suburb was serviced by the Belmont Tramway, which was a steam tram service that connected with the Queensland Government Railway owned and operated Cleveland railway line at Norman Park.Initially the service was operated by the Belmont Shire Council.The service was suspended in 1924.The service was reinstated by the Brisbane City Council in 1925, but was again suspended in 1926.The line branched from the Cleveland line where Acfold Street (in Norman Park) now ends. It then crossed Bennetts Road (Belmont Junction station) and followed a corridor that now contains Bennett's Bushland Park, D'arcy Road, Oateson Skyline Drive (in Seven Hills, including Seven Hills station), Camp Hill Bowls Club (Mt Bruce Station), residences between Perth Street and Stephen Street, the Camp Hill State Infants and Primary School large oval, residences alongside Little Ferguson Road (City View Station) then between Margaret Street and Arrol Street, where it joined Old Cleveland Road.In August 1914, "Mount Bruce Railway Station Estate", made up of over 200 blocks, was advertised to be auctioned by C.A. Gordon. A map advertising the auction shows the blocks in the area bordered by Old Cleveland Road, Wiles Street, Perth Street and Pampling Street. It shows the estate was "at Mt Bruce Railway Station, and within a few minutes walk of Norman Park Railway Station, where 20 trains pass daily".In October 1916, in the area now between Martha Street and Waverley Road, 174 sites of the "Coorparoo Heights" estate were advertised to be auctioned by Cameron Bros. A map advertising the auction states that the land was "within easy walking distance of the tram terminus."In 1916 Matilda Margaret Maloney (the sister of Thomas Joseph Byrnes who was the first Catholic Premier of Queensland) sold James Duhig (Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane) 22 acres (8.9 ha) of land in the area then known as East Coorparoo (now Camp Hill), which had formerly been owned by her late brother Thomas Byrnes. Duhig sold most of the land, but retained some for a church and school. On Sunday 11 February 1923 Duhig officially dedicated St Thomas's Catholic Church, a wooden building of approximately 9 by 19 metres (30 ft × 62 ft). Following her death in 1922, Maloney's will provided a donation in memory of her brother of £300 towards the £850 cost of the building. Duhig decided the church should be named after Saint Thomas and that it would also be a memorial for Thomas Byrnes.The "Mount Bruce Homesites" were advertised for private sale by J. Moody and S.E. Costin. The land comprised 60 homesites in the area bounded by Old Cleveland Road, Theodore Avenue (now Wiles Street), Perth Street and New Road (now Pampling Street)."The Pride of Coorparoo" estate, made up of allotments in the area bordered by Old Cleveland Road, Boundary Road and Pryde Street, was advertised for auction by Cameron Bros on 16 June 1917. A map advertising the auction shows the nearby City View Station on the Belmont Railway.Lossock Avenue and Tranters Avenue share an interesting history: William Lossock, owner and proprietor of Tranters Hotel in London, met the Brisbane architect who was subdividing land in the Camp Hill area when he visited London in the early 1920s. They became friends and the architect promised to name a street in the new estate after him, as well as one after the name of the hotel. Other local street names include Hobart, Sydney and Melbourne Avenue, which are the names of World War I ships as well as Australian capital cities.The "Oberthur Estate", comprising "21 building blocks and 3 market garden or small dairy blocks", was advertised to be auctioned by Blocksidge & Ferguson Limited on 16 June 1923. A map advertising the auction shows the lots on Ashton Street.On 10 October 1925, "Camp Hill Terminus Estate, Coorparoo" made up of 14 allotments of land, was advertised to be auctioned by Charlton, Elliot and Sons. A map advertising the auction shows the blocks of land between Old Cleveland Road and Donald Street, bordered by what it now Pampling Street.In 1925 Daly Estate was advertised for sale by Marcus F. Lyons & Winning. A map and aerial photograph of Daly Estate shows allotments in the area between Old Cleveland Road and Martha Street.In 1925 the tram line had been extended to Camp Hill.

Mount Bruce State School opened on 1 July 1926. It was renamed Camp Hill State School in 1931. On 1 January 2007 it merged with Camp Hill Infants State School to become Camp Hill Infants and Primary School.On 2 May 1926 the Anglican Church of the Annunciation at 101 Watson Street was dedicated as a Church Mission. The building was the former St Andrew's Anglican Church at Roadvale, which was dedicated on 11 May 1912 by Venerable Henry Le Fanu, the Archdeacon of Toowoomba. In 1926, the church in Roadvale closed and the building was relocated to Camp Hill. In 1940 the church was extended. In 1975 it was rebuilt but still retained the original structure, re-opening on 24 October 1975.In February 1928 the local Methodists decided to build a Sunday school with a church to be built later. They purchased land at 626 Old Cleveland Road (27.4926°S 153.0765°E? / -27.4926; 153.0765? (Camp Hill Methodist/Uniting Church (former))) for £400. In April 1928 they purchased a disused storage building in Norman Park from the Brisbane City Council for £25 and relocated it to the Old Cleveland Road site. The local Methodist minister, Albert Taylor, was a former carpenter. Assisted by volunteer labour and donation of window glass from Methodist contractor Walter Taylor, Albert Taylor modified the building to be suitable for use as a Sunday school and a church. Albert Taylor also made the church furniture.By the 1950s a larger church was needed. In 1955 the old church was relocated to the rear of the site and in 1958 ReverendPotter laid the foundation stone for the new brick church at the front of the site. The new church cost £18,500. Following the amalgamation that created the Uniting Church in Australia, in 1978 the church became the Camp Hill Uniting Church. The site was sold in 2013 for $2,414,087. The church was demolished in 2016.St Thomas' Catholic School opened on 28 January 1929 when two Sisters of the Good Samaritan began teaching 84 children on the three verandahs that had been added to the church. In January 1937 the school moved into a two-storey brick building.The Belmont Tramway line remained in place until 1934, by which time the Brisbane City Council had extended its electric tramway from Coorparoo further along Old Cleveland Road, eventually becoming Route 06 between Fortitude Valley and Belmont (now Carina). Route 06 was replaced by a bus service when electric trams ceased operations in April 1969.As at 2016 Brisbane City Council's Route 204 still largely follows the former BCC Tram Route 06 along Old Cleveland Road, while Route 212 largely follows the former Belmont Tramway, although it travels to Carindale via Stanley Road rather than Old Cleveland Road. Although most of the tram tracks have been removed, one section of approximately 625 metres (2,051 ft) remains and is heritage-listed. Should the Eastern Busway be extended to Carindale, it is possible that these tracks may be removed despite the heritage .Camp Hill Police Station opened in 1938 at 580 Old Cleveland Road (27.4923°S 153.0742°E? / -27.4923; 153.0742? (Camp Hill Police Station)). It closed on 15 December 2011 to be replaced by the Carina Police Station which opened on 16 December 2011.

On Saturday 9 March 1940 the Camp Hill School of Arts was officially opened by the Brisbane Lord Mayor Alfred James Jones, having had its original planned opening on Saturday 2 March postponed due to rain. Located on the corner of Old Cleveland Road and Theodore Avenue (now Wiles Street) near the tram terminus, the wooden building was 92 by 52 feet (28 by 16 m) and was designed by James Arundel and built by the Wells Brothers for£1,236/10/-. The hall had a dance floor, stage, library and supper room.The US Army had a significant impact on the area during World War II. A large US hospital was built on land to the rear of the Camp Hill Hotel. It accommodated up to 3,000 patients and staff. Now Arrol, Errey, Ascham, Morven, Aubrey and Arrowsmith Streets take up the site. These street follow the same pattern as the US constructed hospital roads. Also during World War II, the Australian Army used White's Hill as an observation site.Camp Hill State Infants School opened on 30 January 1951. On 1 January 2007 it merged with Camp Hill Infants State School to become Camp Hill Infants and Primary School.On 17 October 1954, despite the drizzling rain, the Regina Caeli Catholic Church was dedicated by Archibishop Duhig to Our Lady, Queen of Heaven. The Archdiocese purchased the land in 1935 but construction of the church did not commence until 1953. Father Cyril Shand was its first priest who conducted services in an army marquee until the church was completed.On Sunday 5 September 1954 the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church was officially dedicated by the Moderator, the Right Reverend Rowellyn Ramsay, at 535 Old Cleveland Road (27.4928°S 153.0739°E? / -27.4928; 153.0739? (Camp Hill Presbyterian Church (former))). The congregation began in 1944, meeting in the School of Arts with services conducted by Reverend Andrew Cuthbertson Kennedy from Coorparoo. In 1945 they acquired the site on Old Cleveland Road and relocated an old army hut to serve as atemporary church. The brick church cost £9000 and the army hut then become the Sunday School. The church was still operating at 1990 as part of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland (that is, it did not participate in the amalgamation that created the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977), but subsequently closed. The property was sold in 2001 for $450,000. As at 2021, the church building is now used as a Buddhist centre.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints opened in 1956.

Camp Hill State High School opened on 4 February 1957. In 2002 it merged with Whites Hill State School and Xavier Special School (in Coorparoo) to create Whites Hill State College.Whites Hill State School opened on 8 June 1958. In 2002 it merged with Camp Hill State High School and Xavier Special School (in Coorparoo) to create Whites Hill State College.In November 1957 Archbishop Duhig blessed the foundation stone for a new brick St Thomas the Apostle Catholic and then officially opened it in October 1958. This is the current church building.During the 1960s Brisbane City Council also operated an electric trolleybus line along the Macrossan Avenue-Stanley Road corridor with a branch line along Oateson Skyline Drive. Trolleybuses were replaced by conventional diesel buses coinciding with the closure of the city's electric tram system in 1969.Between at least 1975 and 1990, Majestic Park Baptist Church was at 109 Waverley Road (27.4999°S 153.0751°E? / -27.4999; 153.0751? (Majestic Park Baptist Church (former))). As at 2021, the church building has been demolished/removed and a modern commercial building erected.Between at least 1975 and 1990, Calvary Lutheran Church was at 75-77 Cambridge Street (27.5002°S 153.0862°E? / -27.5002; 153.0862? (Calvary Lutheran Church (former))). As at 2021, the church building has been demolished/removed and a modern house erected.Between at least 1975 and 1990, Camp Hill Church of Christ was at 22 Third Street (27.4958°S 153.0814°E? / -27.4958; 153.0814? (Camp Hill Church of Christ (former))). As at 2021, the church building has been demolished/removed and a modern house erected.By 1975, the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses had been establishedat 456 Old Cleveland Road (27.4916°S 153.0667°E? / -27.4916; 153.0667? (Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses)). In late 2019 the building was taken over by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to establish a mosque.In the 2016 census Camp Hill had a population of 11,202 people.

Whites Hill Lookout (27.5057°S 153.0782°E? / -27.5057; 153.0782? (Whites Hill Lookout)) is at the end of walking walk accessed from Whites Hill Reserve at 226 Boundary Road. It offers views over Brisbane.